The best prenatal yoga routine

Prenatal yoga is one super powerful key ingredient to a healthier and happier pregnancy. It has the ability to beat out the stress and anxiety, while giving your body the relaxation it truly needs.

By increasing the flexibility not only of the muscles, but the tissues that encase them too, prenatal yoga promotes a healthy flow of blood and oxygen into your body, leaving you with a sense of physical and emotional balance.

Adding prenatal yoga to your everyday menu will prepare all the important muscles for your upcoming labor, and its methods of deep and mindful breathing will train the body to loosen up and relax when the actual moment comes.

Many expecting mommies don’t truly understand the importance of including this art in their prenatal lifestyle, when doing so is unimaginably beneficial. And you don’t even have to sign up for yoga classes!

I’ve prepared the 6 best prenatal yoga poses you can do in the comfort of your home. This short and cute yoga routine will make a huge difference, you just have to carve a few minutes of your day and try it.

It’s the most powerful creation to have a life growing inside of you, so let’s make sure you make the best choices for both of you.

Let’s get started!

1. Bhadrasana – Butterfly pose

The first pose you’re doing is the butterfly pose. The biggest benefit of doing the butterfly pose is that it will help you strengthen your pelvic floor muscles by stretching the areas in your inner thighs. What you have to do is sit on the mat with your legs outstretched, bended knees and feet brought up to you as close as possible. While doing so, make sure to keep your spine straight and gently pushing your knees down with the help of your hands. Stay in this pose for 10 deep breaths, before moving on to the next movement.

2. Supta Virasana – Reclining Hero Pose

The hero pose can be performed in many different ways, but today, we’re doing it with the legs crossed. It’s a simple relaxing pose, where you just have to lay on your back, focusing on releasing your thoughts while you breathe in and breathe out. Your hips are opened and your hands stretched up under your head, while you think about nothing at all. Stay like that for as long as you feel comfortable, at least 10 breaths.

3. Ushtra Asana Paravritti (Camel pose)

The camel pose has many variations, but this one is the best when it comes to prenatal yoga poses. It has the power to stretch up your hips and your spine, while releasing the pressure on your lower back. Depending on your flexibility, it might take a few times of practice to comfortably sink in the full hero movement, but don’t worry, step by step you’ll get there. First, you need to sit on the mat with your legs crossed and your hands behind you. Flow into the pose by lifting your bum and back off the mat, stretching your whole spine, core and hips. Stay like that for 5-10 breaths, before getting back into the beginning pose.

4. Apanasana – Knees To Chest Pose

This is another relaxing pose that relieves the pressure on your back, by stretching the lower back. We all know how uncomfortable our “bump” can be to the lower back, so this pose is here to stretch it up. Since the body is compact in this pose, your thoughts are easily drawn inward, and that feels so good when it comes to calming the mind and rebalancing the energy in the whole body. You just have to lay straight on your back and lift up your legs while pulling them to your chest with the help of your hands. It is better to open your hips, so that the belly doesn’t get in the way. Stay like that for 10 breaths while focusing on bathing your organs with deep fresh oxygen.

5. Ananda Balasana – Happy Baby Pose

From the Apanasana pose, we flow into the Ananda, our all time favorite – happy baby pose. Starting from lower back, thighs, hips and calves, this pose stretches your whole body while tightening the leg muscles and opening your hips. Try to sink in the baby pose by grabbing the outsides of your feet, making sure to square them toward the ceiling. Stay in this pose, as you pull your knees towards your armpits, while your knees are forming straight angle with the floor. Take at least 5-10 deep breaths before you go on with the last pose.

6. Vakrasana – Seated Twisted Pose

The last pose is the twisted pose. Its main job is strengthening the spine and the whole nervous system. But the benefits are not just limited to the spine, they extend to the improvement in the functionality of various abdominal organs, including the liver and the kidneys, while improving the digestion at the same time. So, you should start by sitting with your legs stretched out in front of you. Bend your right knee together with the right foot, and put it over the left knee. Bring the left arm and elbow over the right knee, while supporting yourself by keeping your right hand behind you on the floor. Twist your torso to the right and stay like that for 10 deep breaths, before heading to the other side.

Expecting mommies, it’s your turn to rock!

Try making these poses a part of your everyday routine, and you’ll feel the benefits on you and your baby. Mommies-to-be, let’s build better health for you and your baby!

Monica May is a fitness coach, blogger and photographer, who is in love with fitness, healthy food, nature and hiking. Through her blog Fit Girl's Diary, she passes on her fitness story, strongly believing that every girl out there deserves to get the sneakiest fitness and weight loss secrets – for free. With the power of her expertise she inspires, motivates and supports, by giving you the best workout programs, plans, guides and tips, to finally fall in love with fitness.